Old Fashioned Dutch Apple Pie with Crumb Topping
Who LOVES fall for all the pies? MY FAMILY for one. Whenever I have fresh apples on hand I love to make apple pies, and this Dutch Apple Pie with a Crumb Topping is our new family favorite! I always make all the same pies for Thanksgiving, Pecan Pie without Corn Syrup, Apple, and Pumpkin. This year I’m changing up my normal Apple Pie for this Crumb Top Dutch Apple Pie. I sure hope no one minds! (spoiler alert: THEY DIDN’T MIND!)
Why You Should Make A Dutch Apple Pie
In one line only: It’s a one crust pie and that crust is the bottom crust!
If you’re leery of making a top crust for pies Dutch apple pie might just be the pie for you. No crimping, no pinching, no stress over a top crust because it’s a classic apple pie with crumb topping. Plus if you use my Easy Pie Crust Recipe you’re chances of making pies successfully increases.
AND here’s another good reason to make a crumb topped pie, you two pies from one batch of pie crust! That’s like a two-fe-one really. You could make an Old Fashioned Pecan Pie AND a Dutch Apple Pie with just ONE box of pie crust or one pie crust recipe. Or your favorite Pumpkin Pie and a Dutch Apple Pie.
Apple Pie VS Dutch Apple Pie VS Apple Crumble
Seems silly but they’re very similar enough to need a little explanation.
Classic Apple Pie gets a second crust, either solid or a lattice. Two crusts to roll out, fill, flute, egg wash and so one. GORGEOUS when done right and an absolute showstopper
Dutch Apple Pie skips the top crust and gets a crumb topping instead. One crust, and no fussing with a lattice! Good for beginners and pros alike!
Apple Crumble has no top or bottom crust at all. The apples go straight into the dish and the crumb topping goes on top. Faster than either pie, and my Old Fashioned Apple Crumble will get you there.
And if all of this is too much try Apple Pie Dip!
The Best Pie Crust For The Job
Now you know I’m going to suggest making your own crust, right? Because they taste SO much better. And they’re actually easy to make. BUT if that’s too much or you don’t have the time/strength/skills/wherewithall then go ahead and use a refrigerated pie crust, I started there and you can too!
Try my easy pie crust made with all butter OR my shortening pie crust with all shortening and you can’t go wrong. For the pie in the pictures, I used a shortening pie crust. But either work for this recipe!
Ingredients for Apple Pie With Crumb Topping
Nothing here you can’t find at any grocery store, and most of it’s already in your cupboard. The apples are the only thing worth being fussy about.
- Pie crust
- Apples
- Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Flour
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Cardamom
- Butter
- mixing bowl
- paring knife
- pie pan, I used a pie pan that was 2 inches deep
A note on the pie pan. This makes a deep dish pie. I use a 9 inch plate that’s a full 2 inches deep, because 8 cups of apples is a lot of apples and they need somewhere to go! A standard shallow plate will overflow on you, so if that’s what you’ve got, hold back a cup or two of the filling. Don’t waste it though, cook it down and make a topping for plain yogurt!
What kind of apples for an apple pie?
Personally, I like to use a combination of apples for apple pie. I know a lot of people suggest using all Granny Smith apples and that works just fine. FOR THEM.
But the combination of different flavors of apples always makes a pie so much tastier. Just remember to get firm baking apples or they’ll turn mushy in your pie. Which can cause a soggy filling AND a soggy bottom and no one wants that.
My favorite combination of apples is a few Granny Smith, Macintosh, Honeycrisp, and/or Galas. But honestly, most firm apples work in a pie, and if you’re worried just go with all Granny Smith.
Troubleshooting This Pie
The filling is soupy. Typically if the pie is soupy its because it needs longer to set up, but then one of life’s greatest joys is warm pie with ice cream. Choose your battles here. If set pie is what you really want give it three or four hours, or overnight is even better. Apples also vary a lot in how much water they carry, so baking apples are your best bet, see the list above for the right apples to pick from.
The crumb topping went flat and greasy. If your butter is too soft when you cut it in to the topping ingredients it can all melt and pour out. So always use cold butter, cut it in with two knives to keep warm hands out of it, and stop cutting it in when the mix still looks like coarse crumbs.
The topping browned before the apples were soft. Happens to the best of us, simply tent foil over the top and keep baking. You’ll know the pie is finished when you can use a knife to poke them and it slides right through. If that happens AND your topping is brown you can take the pie out.
A soggy bottom! You may have used apples that are not for baking! Don’t worry it will still taste amazing. Use my homemade pie crust recipe, its a little thicker of a crust and doesn’t tear as easily as the refrigerated crusts. The refrigerated crusts are easy to use but can tear easily sometimes.
The apples are still crunchy. They need to cook longer, or you sliced them too thick. A knife should slide into the center with no resistance before you take your pie out of the oven.
The edge of the crust burned. If you see the edges start to catch and burn take the pie out and fold foil over the edges. It may be too late if the pie is already starting to burn but I always say better late than never!
If pies still scare you
Maybe try an Elegant Apple Tart? The crust is a little easier, there’s no top crust to fuss over, and WOW it’s gorgeous! Or try this fun NO-BAKE Apple Pie Dessert Charcuterie Board. Fresh apples, caramel, butterscotch, cookies, whipped cream, does it get any easier!?!
Got Leftovers?
Hopefully you do because what is better than apple pie and a cup of hot coffee? Not much. To store leftovers cover the pie loosely with plastic wrap and store it on the counter or in a cupboard for 1-2 days. Move it to fridge after that. It’s perfect cold (that’s whay you have hot coffee!) but you can also warm it in the oven or air fryer ever so slightly if you like.
How to store crumb top dutch apple pie
Cool it completely, and I mean completely, before you cover it. The crumb topping is the thing you’re protecting here and steam is what ruins it. Covered at room temperature it’s good for two days. After that, refrigerate it and it’ll keep another three days or so. The topping does soften in the fridge, that’s just what happens, and a few minutes in a warm oven crisps it back up if it bothers you. It won’t bother everybody and that’s fine too.
Old-Fashioned Dutch Apple Pie with Crumb Topping
Ingredients
- single pie crust use half of a two crust recipe OR a store bought crust
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- pinch of ground cardamom
- 8 cups apple slices peeled and sliced apples
Crumb Topping
- 1 cup flour
- 2/3 cup brown sugar packed down
- 1/2 cup butter
Instructions
- Line pie pan with crust, press into place, crimp and refrigerate until ready to use
- Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom together
- Toss with the apple slices and set aside
- To make the crumb topping mix the flour and sugar together
- Use a butter knife and cut the butter in small pieces into the flour and sugar, use clean hands to work it in until it looks like crumbs
- Pile the apples in the pie crust making them higher in the middle
- Sprinkle the crumb topping over
- Bake in a 400˚ oven for 45-55 minutes or until the topping is browned and the apples are soft, gently test the apples with a toothpick or knife
- Cool or eat warm
- Store overnight on the counter but if you keep it longer it needs to be refriegrated
Nutrition
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